parkgate

I would spend it if I had the room!

Yes good point - I would be happy with another 2 feet this year. Although potted plants would not suffer too much of a shock? Thank You.

Thank You for your prompt reply. We intended to plant the Arrow bamboo within a bamboo root barrier. also Arrow Bamboo is a "clumping bamboo" so shouldn't run anyway? I would prefer the laurel hedge, but it has only grown 2 ft 6 ins in three years despite constant watering and feeding. If I replace them with 6 ft laurel trees is there any advantage to this in the long run?

A neighbour has taken down a 20 ft high hedge which was beautiful and gave both our properties complete privacy. This has resulted in a vital gap of 12 ft wide whereby they now can see clearly into our home living, dining room and also outdoor area where we sit in the summer. This now means we have no privacy whatsoever. We think the hedge belonged to our property as ours was the first built many years before but we have no way of proving this and now it is of no consequence as the hedge has gone. We have some arrow bamboo either side of this gap which we like and in the middle of the gap on our side are three, 4 ft high, cherry laurels that I planted 3 years ago when they were 1 ft 6 ins high. We now need something quick growing, can form a dense screen and can grow to about 15/20 foot. We are thinking of planting further arrow bamboo but that means taking out the cherry laurels. Question 1: Is arrow bamboo the best for this particular situation.? Question 2: Should we just wait quite a bit longer to get 15 feet from the cherry laurels? Kind Regards,

Thank you - the top is 3m wide! I have planted some more laurels in another part of the garden ,but only 3ft high at the moment, - hopefully they will grow quickly. I have also planted a few Griselinia plants.

Thank you for your replies. I have ordered the Osmocote and Horse Manure and I will report back on progress!

Mick, Thank You. The comment you make:- “If the holes appeared in the weeks afterwards due to defoliation it’s a different matter all together” Slightly worries me as I feel the holes are getting bigger. The Trees are about 50 years old - could they possibly be diseased? Regards,

Conor - Thank you for your comprehensive reply. It is good to know it will regrow. Can you suggest an appropriate feed? - I generally use Miracle Grow around the garden

We have recently had our 3 m high Laurel Hedge cut. Prior to cutting it was a beautiful thick hedge with glossy leaves - after cutting large gaps have appeared (please see the photograph attached) so we can see through to the house next door. I am hoping the gaps will fill in when the spring growth starts? Could anybody please confirm that this is likely to be the case! Kind Regards

Thank you. it is good to know that they will grow back rapidly and as doobin said they can grow 3 ft in one year. They are mature laurel trees though I wonder if cutting them back hard will affect their health? - and I suppose they have a finite life, but hopefully they go on for many years even centuries like other trees? The base of the trees are about 40cm in diameter but I have no idea of the actual age.

Yes you are right of course a compromise would be the best solution - the documents are very sketchy - when we bought the house the strip of land with the hedge and the drive is not shown on the title plan for either property - the solicitor did say there is and element of risk with but had gone as far as he can.You do make logical legal points though and I may have an exploratory meeting with a solicitor by which time it may be too late for this cut.

The drive is an upward slope and I am at the top therefore the extra 6 feet makes a significant difference to me.

The hedge is about 12 feet high and he is proposing to go down to about 7 to 8 feet.

Stubby thank you for your reply. I should have been clearer - the two properties are on the same side of the drive and the hedge is on the opposite side of the drive so the two properties look out to the hedge across the drive. I am away from home at present - I will post a sketch on my return - by which time it may be too late - sorry for the confusion.

Thank You. I don’t think the neighbour wishes to compromise - do you know how I stand legally on this - do I have the legal right to stop him cutting?

Thank you for your prompt reply. To give my neighbour a better view but we prefer the privacy.

My neighbour and ourselves share a private drive with a strip of land running along the side of the drive. The drive and strip of land are jointly owned. The strip of land is planted with a high laurel hedge that gives us privacy. My neighbour however wishes to lower the hedge by trimming it ,but we wish to retain a higher hedge. We have been unable to compromise on this and my neighbour has stated he will cut the hedge anyway and once it is cut obviously this cannot be reversed (apart from allowing for many years of regrowth) and he will have had his own way. Difficult one this ! - but perhaps forum members ,who have provided me with excellent advice in the past ,could throw some light on the legal position or the stance I could take. Kind Regards,

Thank you for your replies. We have employed a tree surgeon to give his opinion and he is coming next week. I hope we can save this tree. If I ultimately, lose the vote and the tree is cut down to say a 6 ft stump or so - presumably it will regenerate and root action will continue under and possible damage the tarmac drive? - or maybe not to the same level of a full tree.

My house is at the end of a tarmacked private driveway ,shared with two other neighbours. At the start of the driveway ,about 10 yards in, stands a copper beech. I think it is a beautiful tree with significant environmental and wildlife value, and I would prefer it to be conserved to benefit future generations. The tree is not subject to a TPO ,and we are not in a conservation area. The Tree is blocking light to another neighbour, and although it is situated on our land, a large proportion of the tree overhangs into their garden. The roots of the tree may have cracked a coping stone edging the drive, and there is a concern that they could eventually burst through the tarmac drive. The two neighbours i.e. at the start of the drive ,and in the middle ,initially wanted the tree to be felled , and it may go down to a majority vote so I may be overruled. It just feels fundamentally wrong to remove this healthy, beautiful tree. We are holding a meeting to discuss the way forward, and I wonder if there is a way of reducing the tree (thus satisfying the other neighbours light requirements), and restricting the root growth under the tarmac drive. In the end I would live with damage to the drive if it ever happens - who knows - but the other parties may not. Photo attached. Kind Regards,

Thank You. On closer inspection I think one of the trees is already dead and now merely provides a growing frame for the Ivy. If I remove the Ivy I will be left with a dead tree and no greenery. It looks like the Ivy is now the hedge in some parts.

Good evening. My garden is surrounded by a 8ft high Laurel hedge which we had cut and tidied last Autumn. A great deal of what I think is Ivy has now appeared and looks like it is smothering the hedge. Whilst the Ivy is an attractive green colour and certainly adds to the density of the hedge I am concerned that it will kill or weaken the Laurel hedge. Should I remove the Ivy? - and is this best done by cutting the lower stems thus depriving it of water and nutrients? Kind Regards

Yes I have learnt something from this! thank you.

Thanks.It is just that other Acers in the area are still in full leaf.

I have a beautiful Acer in my garden and it has suddenly turned an attractive mauve/red colour. but the leaves seemed to have changed shape and curled all of a sudden - is this normal? or is there a problem here (apart from my lack of knowledge) Thank You.

The leaves are falling! I was confused as next door have a beech hedge and the leaves seem to remain over winter.